ALLERGIES
by KDesai
Summary: One Christmas evening where the team finds out about Mac's allergy.


**Hi friends! Wanted to write on this for quite sometime. I hope you guys like this one shot. Sorry for mistakes.**

 **Enjoy :-)))**

Mac streched carefully where he was balanced on the ladder, left hand clinging to the roof edge while his right one pulled the string of lights more tautly so that they spread along the roof edge right to the very tip "Jack..is this better?"

Jack who was munching on popcorns showed a thumps up to his young partner. Mac fought the urge to roll his eyes "Will you stop eating and pass me the next strip of lights"

Jack gulped down his bite and nodded, rubbing his hands "Didn't you hear the famous saying All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" he picked up the lights and passed it to Mac

"I'm the one who is doing all the Christmas decorations and your mouth is the only thing that is working" Mac grunted as he jumped down the ladder and moved it to other side of the room. Jack held his hand on his back and bend forward a bit "C'mon kid. I'm too old for getting on a ladder. You know I've back pains"

Mac raised his eyebrows in question and Jack added a fake painful sound "See it's still hurting" Mac shook his head and laughed lightly "Okay Grandpa...let's see what Matty has to say about your back pains. Maybe she can give you an early retirement"

Jack's eyes widened and he immediately stood erect. He saluted Mac "Sir let me handle the rest of the decorations. Why not you take a break" Mac grinned and handled Jack the lights "So where are the popcorns?"

Jack rollled his eyes "I wish Boze didn't have to go to his Aunt's house for Christmas. He would've been a huge help plus I miss his cooking" Mac nodded "Yeah I miss him too. But his Aunt is sick and wants to spend some time with him"

"Yeah...last days of life are tough"

A knock to the door and Jack was the one who opened and greeted his team "Welcome everybody. Merry Christmas" Matty Riley and Cage each gave a hug and wished Jack. They entered into the house and wished Mac "Wow the house looks good"

"Thanks Cage" said Mac with a blush and took the bottle of wine from her hand "Thanks for this" Cage smiled in response. Matty removed her coat and got comfortable on the couch. She saw Riley was holding a bag "What's in the bag?" Riley smiled nervously as now all eyes were on her. She pulled put a tray that was covered with foil paper "I made steak for us"

"That's great Riley. Give it to me. I'll get plates ready" said Jack and took the tray from her hands "I hope you guys like it. It's made from my grandma's secret receipe" Riley's eyes twinkled with excitement

"What's the secret receipe?" asked Matty

Riley hummed "Why not you all taste it and guess the ingredient. Let's see who gets it right first" she challenged her team mates. Mac smiled as he prepared the table for dinner with some help from Cage. They all took places at the table where Jack brought each one's share of the homemade steak

"Okay guys do tell me if it's good"

Matty took the first bite and chewed "This is good Riley" Jack was next "God bless your grandmother. This is delicious"

"Thanks guys. It means a lot"

Mac took a bite and hummed contently at the explosion of flavour in his mouth "I love it" Cage too eats the first bite and praises her friend. Next second Mac's throat started to tinkle and he frowns at the steak. The boy cleared his throat to get rid of the tickle he felt

"So anyone knows what's the special ingredient?" Riley raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrows

Mac's stomach cramped and he knew it's not his imagination. He's in trouble "Is it..." his voice sounds strangled probably because his tongue started to swell up "Shellfish?"

Everybody stared at him

"Kid?" Jack asked worry clear in his tone. He didn't like how Mac's face is scrunched in pain

"Actually it's a sauce with shrimp and oysters. How did you know?" Riley said looking surprised. Mac's face turned pale at her answer. How could he forget to mention to his team. This happened long time back.

"Mac what's going on? Are you alright?" Jack dropped down his fork and was on alert. Mac was not looking good. Matty Cage and Riley were all confused on Mac's behaviour

The next thing they saw was Mac tumbling off the chair and was wheezing on the floor. He could barely get the air inside as his throat was getting constricted with every second that ticked "Cup..board.." he managed to rasp out before his stomach cramped again and he doubled on the floor

Jack and the team surrounded the boy "Mac! Oh my God...what's happening?"

"Call an ambulance!" yelled Matty

Riley pulled out her cell and dialled 911. Jack held Mac by his face "Kid tell me what's wrong? Where are you hurting?"

"Cup..board..pen.." Mac clutched Jack's shirt as it got harder and harder to breathe. Cage was not sure what she heard but she had to confirm "Did he say pen? Is he having allergic reaction"

Matty's eyes widened now that it clicked to her "Yes! Jesus! Mac said cupboad. Go! Look in the cupboard. He's talking about EpiPen" Jack helped Mac to a semi sitting position feeling utterly helpless "Which cupboard bud?"

Mac was not able to get the word out as the cramp just intensified so he pointed at his kitchen "Kitchen! Riley Cage...it's in the kitchen" yelled Jack and the girls ran towards the kitchen and started searching for EpiPen

"Keep breathing bud...stay with me" Jack murmured softly but his heart was hammering in his chest as now Mac was now slowly turning blue "DID YOU FIND IT?!" Jack raised his voice

"Got it!" Cage came running closely followed by Riley. To Mac it felt like eternity as he was on the brink of unconsciousness. Jack straightened Mac so Cage could inject the dose "C'mon kid...we got the dose"

Mac felt a stinking pain in his thigh where Cage had jabbed the pen. The boy groaned as his throat started to open slowly. Jack rubbed soft circles on his back and saw Matty walk towards them "Ambulance is here!"

"Is he going to be alright?" asked Riley and Cage nodded "He'll be fine but needs to get checked out. It's a normal procedure when EpiPen is used"

Jack is still holding Mac to himself. He just wanted to see the kid breath. Mac on the other hand looked like he could sleep for days. The attack had left Mac bone tired and wary. The worry in Jack's eyes didn't go unnoticed by the boy so he whispered "Sorry.." before his eyes get closed against his will

AT HOSPITAL

"I'm allergic to shellfish" said Mac as soon as he opened his eyes. All his team mates surrounded him by the bed. Each eyes had only one question in them "Why didn't you tell us before?" asked Jack who's face was a war between relief and anger

Mac swallowed and tried to ease up the scratchy feeling in his throat "I'm so sorry. I should've told you guys before" Jack pursed his lips and took a step forward making Mac flinch who tried to hide himself behind the covers "You got any idea what you put us today! Mac you nearly died! What if Cage was not able to figure it out? Then what huh?"

"Jack..."

"Don't Jack me! Things like these are not kept secret! We could've lost you. Thanks to Cage's training coz none of us knows how to use a EpiPen"

"Jack calm down. It's okay" said Cage

"It only happened twice. One time when I was eight years old and the other...before I joined army" Mac's voice was low clearly feeling bad about the whole situation. He knew his friends cared for him and they had every right to be mad at him...especially Jack

"I'm so sorry Mac. It's my fault" said Riley. Mac shook his head "No Riley. It's not your fault. You didn't know. Please don't blame yourself"

"Is there anything else we need to know except for the fact that you're allergic to shellfish" asked Matty

"No"

"Good. Now I'm ordering for six new EpiPen"

"Six? Why?" asked a confuse looking Mac

Jack crossed his arms "We all are going to keep one just to be on safe side and learn how to use it. No one is taking a risk after what happened today" Mac was taken aback "Jack...you guys don't have to do this. You already saved my life today"

"And we'll do it again if needed" Cage promised with a smile. Jack smiled at her "She's right buddy. Not going to take any chances"

"It's not that I'm going to eat sea food again" Mac tried again but Matty held her hand out "No arguments young man or else no mission for a month"

Mac laughed and held his hands up in surrender "Wait a minute. We're only five. Why did you order six EpiPen" Jack grinned as he answered his friend "One is for Bozer"

Mac's eyes widened "Bozer? You don't have to tell him guys. He's going to kill me!" Cage and Riley giggled leaving the room "Good luck with that"

"Riley! Cage!...Matty please...don't tell Bozer" Mac pleaded but saw his Boss pocket her hands and leave the room with a grin on her face "Don't gang up on me!" Mac turned towards his last option "Jack"

"Yes Mac"

"You're my friend right? We're best pals remember?"

"Ah huh"

"Please don't tell Boze"

"You brought this on yourself kid"

"C'mon...what about being my best friend"

"Oh I'm your best friend and as your best friend I'm going to stand right beside you when you break this wonderful news to Bozer"

"Jack!"

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